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# Readers weigh in on advice for Santa Monica's next police chief
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/052906-story/
- Published: 2006-05-29T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T18:06:55.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Pico, #archive-import, Homelessness

Santa Monica Police Chief James T. Butts Jr. announced that he is stepping down from his post this summer, having accepted a position to head up security for four Los Angeles County airports. While reports continue to show a decline in crime rates during his tenure, no city is without its problems. Pico violence.

Petty theft. Street hustles. Recurring homelessness. Drug use.

The city is expected to launch a national search next month in the hopes of having a timely replacement to spell Butts.

So this week, Q-Line wants to know: What advice would you give the city’s new chief of police? What areas or issues would you like the new chief to focus on initially? Call (310) 285-8106 before Friday at 5 p.m. and we’ll print your responses in the weekend edition.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 29, 2006.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052906.pdf?ref=smdp.com)